Exit Survey for Faculty Researchers

Carnegie Grant, Spring 2005

Angela Morales

1) What are the (three) most positive things that happened for YOU as an instructor because of the technology (specific accomplishments, obstacles you overcame, epiphanies, positive emotions in the classroom, etc.)?

As a result of having used computer-generated slides

and various forms of computer-generated exercises, I now realize that I was able to be more efficient as a teacher. I was quite lucky to begin the semester with a set of ready-made slides and my biggest challenge was really how to organize them and how to present them in a manner that suited my personality and style. Overall, having the materials handy gave me more time work one-on-one with students both in and out of the classroom. Also, I could manage classroom time more efficiently as well.

Second, I witnessed a somewhat unruly group of students as they became interested in the lectures and in passing the class. As students, they really shaped up quite quickly, and I attribute this, for the most part, to the materials and to the fact that the lectures were visually stimulating. In the end, only three students out of 19 did not receive credit for the class, and I am very happy with the overall results.

Finally, I really enjoyed having the website as a communication tool—both to post messages and have a central base away from the classroom where students can “go to class” whenever they need information. This notion really extends the area of the classroom space into virtual space and can create a whole new set of teaching possibilities—quite exciting!

2) What are the (three) most positive changes you observed in your students as a result of the technology?

In my opinion, the students were able to focus more clearly, and they began to see themselves in a more professional light. In addition, the website gave them some much needed self-help opportunities and the ability to work from home and at their own pace. I believe that the materials really made learning grammar more accessible and more stimulating for the “video generation”, and the professional, streamlined materials presented “remedial” materials in a professional, adult fashion.

3) What problems, if any, did the technology cause in student performance or behavior? Do you have any strategies for correcting these problems?

At the beginning of the semester, I thought that teaching in a computer classroom was both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, students had constant easy access to the website, quizzes, and writing their assignments. On the other hand, many students seemed as if they were almost held hostage by their computers. Those students couldn’t seem to take their eyes off of their screens or their hands off the mouse. After a few weeks, though, I figured out how to keep this problem in check and students knew that I would call on them if they looked as though they were drifting away. By mid-semester, I did not find this to be a problem, and I loved having computers on hand, even if we did not use them each day.

4) What are the (three) most important challenges or obstacles you’ve encountered in implementing the technology?

My main challenge was in maintaining the website. I did not keep up with posting students’ paper grades, nor did I keep up with grading those online quizzes that were not automatically scored. Most of my neglect had to do with pure forgetfulness—now that I am more experienced, I imagine that taking care of some of those details will become more automatic and won’t seem quite so intimidating.

Another obstacle I encountered was in deciding whether or not to require that students type or handwrite their papers. At first I thought that it seemed only logical to have students use the computer (since it was readily available each day), but then when I realized that many students were struggling with their typing skills, and many students felt additional pressure to get the formatting right, I decided to ask that students write by hand. I did notice that many students did better on their papers, and that the strong students did equally well either way. So my dilemma is in knowing how much to use the computer and when to ignore it and do things the old fashioned way.

Finally, I do not feel that I used the textbook as much as I should have. In part, I was enjoying the novelty of using Powerpoint materials, and I was really enjoying watching students come to life. I felt a little reluctant to use the book more often because I no longer trusted the effectiveness of those lessons. Next semester I hope to move from one mode to the other with a little more grace and a little less hesitation.

5) Compare and contrast the technological materials (PPT, website, etc.) with the traditional materials (whiteboard, book, etc.) Where are you at in terms of the balancing of these two pedagogies?

As I’ve mentioned in previous notes, I think Chris’s PowerPoint lectures are fun, colorful, and extremely effective. I will continue to make the slides central to my teaching, although I also enjoy writing on the whiteboard and supplementing the day’s lesson with an additional outline or a spontaneous brainstorming session that the class puts together. I like writing all over the whiteboard to show the unrehearsed PROCESS in action, whereas the PowerPoint lecture is good for showing a set of finished examples and explanations. In addition, I enjoy teaching from a book—I like the weight and the texture of the pages and giving students a resource that they can have readily available without a computer. My challenge comes really in figuring out how to balance the book/website/slides and to try to make time for all of them.

6) How have your beliefs or attitudes changed about the technology since you observed it last spring in Chris’ class?

As I viewed Chris’s wonderful class lectures, I could see that they were, without a doubt, effective and stimulating for students. A small part of me, though, thought that perhaps we might by spoiling students with such visual fireworks, and that if students got too accustomed to such lectures, they’d never be able to sit though a “normal” class again. Now, since I’ve seen the results in my own class, I am not worried about students becoming too “screen” obsessed (they already are! What can we do about it, anyway?) Now I realize that as teachers, we must adapt to changing learning styles if we are to make progress. As a result, if we can reach these students through technology, we can then make them also more receptive to traditional methods as well. I’d like to think that technology can work nicely in conjunction with traditional modes, not in opposition to them.

7) What (three) things will do you differently with the technology next semester?

A. I will re-think how I use the quizzes. Quizzes are a great tool and provide constant reinforcement for what’s being learned in class. I did not like opening them and closing them one at a time—very time consuming. I’d like to open them and leave them open and see if students can manage working more at their own pace.

B. I will use the “MY PROGRESS” section of the website more effectively. I will do a better job of posting grades and maintaining absences, etc.

C. I will create more slides that correspond to the textbook, especially when it comes to being able to go over the homework in class.

8) In terms of long-term goals and potential for the use of technology in your classroom, how far have you come, percentage wise. Are you 5% there, 20% there, etc.? Please explain your answer.

I think I am using the technology with about 50% effectiveness. To be more effective, I think I need to repeat the process a few times, especially with managing the website. I do not necessarily want to spend MORE time in class using computer-generated slideshows, but I would like to manage the “behind-the-scenes” technology (grading, posting messages, posting new slide-lectures) a lot more effectively.

9) Do you still believe that this electronic pedagogy can be successfully transferred to other classrooms and other instructors without “cloning” the originators of the pedagogy?

I strongly believe that many instructors will benefit immensely from these materials. Speaking from my own experience, having these materials made teaching so much easier than it might have been had I started from scratch. The materials are very easy to revise, and instructors can always change organization of the slides, the colors of the slides or the content, with little time spent. I’ve enjoyed the slides I’ve used, and the changes I’ve made have been fairly minor.